By David Fleet
Editor
Atlas Twp.-On Monday night the township board of trustees voted 3-1 to adopt an ordinance making it a civil infraction and providing penalties for the use of vapor products and alternative nicotine products on school property. Ann Marie Moore, township treasurer was absent with notice.
The request came from Genesee County Sheriff Department Det./Sgt. Rebecca Stadler asking for help in supporting vaping regulations for minors.
“The ordinance applies for school property and minors using vaping products,” said David Lattie, township attorney. “It’s also going on in other communities in Genesee County and so there’s a push by other Genesee County deputies and local police chiefs to try to get this issue under control.

There’s a problem in the schools and this (ordinance) is their solution.”
Currently, the underage use of vaping products is a state law violation, added Lattie. The township took provisions of the state law and converted it to a local ordinance.
“We can now issue tickets and I can basically prosecute them instead of going to the Genesee County Prosecutor’s office,” said Lattie. “We now have more of a local process for enforcement. It targets minors on school property.”
Katie Vick, township clerk did not support the provisions.
“I’m having a hard time injecting a local ordinance that specifically targets minor children,” said Vick. “For us enacting a local ordinance is major overreach on a school district targeting children. I don’t think I could be talked into supporting this.”
Pat Major, township trustee, supported the provisions.
“I have no problem with an ordinance saying that kids should not be vaping on school property,” said Major. “The should not be doing drugs, smoking cigarettes or smoking pot—we have all kinds of ordinance that control what students do on school property. I don’t have any issues with this.”